Climate experts' views differ on global warming trend

Continued...

"Throw out the record books because global warming is rais­ing temperatures in Alabama and across the country," he said. "While one or two degrees may not seem like much, just as any parent with a sick child knows, even a small rise in tem­perature can have a big effect."

Despines said Environment America started its investiga­tion into recent temperature trends after a NASA report that said seven of the eight warmest years in world history have oc­curred since 2001.

That's not the only evidence, Despines said.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Na­tions body that won a Nobel Prize for its work in the area has concluded that the evidence of global warming is unequivocal and that human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, are re­sponsible for most of the in­crease in global average temper­atures.

Despines said this shows that the quest for alternative energy sources is one of the most im­portant issues in the upcoming election.

"It's clear that our energy cri­sis isn't just hurting us at the pump, but it's also causing Ala­bamians to feel the heat," he said. "The good news is that re-powering America with wind and solar energy will curb glob­al warming and clean, renewa­ble energy is one of the few bright spots in our troubled economy."Continued...

"There are various proofs already that global warming is mankind's silent monster. Even if Dr. Spencer claimed that there is no such things, he has to still prove a lot of things. I for one still believes that we should act now before it's too late."

However, not everyone be­lieves the increase in tempera­ture is proof positive of global warming.